


The Scions of the Seventh Dawn

by AlphinaudFTW



Category: FFXIV A Realm Reborn, FFXIV Heavensward, Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-07 15:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16856686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphinaudFTW/pseuds/AlphinaudFTW
Summary: Alphinaud has said nary a word since the betrayal of the Crystal Braves, always remaining in the same spot. Everything Tataru has done to make him snap out of it has failed, so she turns to the Warrior of Light for help.





	1. An Evening with Tataru

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Withdrawn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16839949) by [Cascaper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cascaper/pseuds/Cascaper). 
  * Inspired by [Romancing Dawn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4557636) by [Jemachu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemachu/pseuds/Jemachu). 



> Ahh, greetings! I'd like to thank you for reading this. At the time I have posted this work, I am a new user on this site. Try and work with me here, alright?

The harsh, chilling winds of Coerthas proved to be no obstacle for [Name]. She had been quite busy dealing with the affairs of Camp Dragonhead that she hadn't found time for a break. Fortunately for her, Tataru had extended an invitation for when she had managed to finish the last of her tasks. It was a nice thought, being able to relax and indulge oneself on a bit of small talk, yet the thought is brushed from [Name's] mind as the camp comes into view. 

* * *

[Name] had seated herself on the bench, silently observing the flames burning fiercely within the fireplace. The heat was a nice change from the usual weather, but her mind wandered elsewhere. Her fellow Scions had been missing ever since the banquet, leaving [Name], Tataru and Alphinaud as the only known Scions that were alive. It hurt her to think about it, that everything had fallen apart in such a small amount of time. She had insisted on taking up more tasks than usual to take her mind off of recent events, but her heart still felt heavy. As for why, she could never really tell. Perhaps her assignments had simply done that well of a job, yet she still held her doubts.

She was lost in her thoughts, a puzzled expression staining her face when a familiar voice had shifted her attention. "[Name]!" the cheery lalafell called out, a large smile on her face. The sight of Tataru was enough to make [Name] smile. After all, Tataru might have some interesting tales to share, tales different from the normal "defeat this enemy to save this group of people!" or "fetch me a bag of Eorzea's finest tea!" missions that she was used to being tasked with. To be frank, they were a nuisance.

Taking a seat right next to [Name], Tataru's eyes are full of excitement. "Ahh, [Name]!" Tataru exclaims, making direct eye contact as she takes a seat across from her. "You've been rather busy as of late. I thought it would be nice for the both of us to take a breather." She eased back slightly, mindful of their seating choice. [Name] tried her best not to stare, but Tataru's bright smile was a relief to see after...

_Ahh, but it's best not to bring that back up._

Tataru is met with the usual silent nod and a smile for a response. She shifts around in her seat, biting the bottom of her lip gently. It was easy to tell that Tataru was attempting to figure out how to further the conversation. That's how it normally goes, considering [Name] doesn't usually speak otherwise. 

"Ahh, we've been running a lot of errands lately, right?" she smiled sheepishly, hoping silently that the conversation would progress smoothly from there. [Name] nodded, glancing over at the fire every so often. Her face was lit up from the light of the fire, making it easier to see the exhaustion staining her face. Tataru paused for another moment, feeling awkward. She had only just got there, yet her plans were already falling apart. Of course, she didn't expect it'd be easy to strike up such a conversation so casually.

Tataru flashed a soft smile at the [race] in front of her. "Oh, you'll never guess what I've had to deal with recently!" she exclaimed in an excited tone. "Oh? Do tell." she was met with a smile in response as [Name] crossed her legs and placed her cheek on her fist, eyeing her expectantly.

* * *

 

"Oh, but you'd never believe what he did next!" [Name] motioned, a hint of laughter in her tone. Tataru leaned forward, curiosity staining her face as she waited patiently for her to finish her story. "He had the audacity to ask her out after all of that!" They both erupted into laughter. The evening had gone by so quickly when they started sharing stories. At first, they were about the recent tasks they've been sent on. From there, it gradually went to stories of experiences they had in the past, then stories they had heard. 

Settling down, [Name] adopted her usual blank facial expression. "So..." she began, catching Tataru's attention. "Tell me, why did you  _really_ invite me here?" The lalafell gulped. She shifted nervously in her seat again, avoiding eye contact, causing a heavy sigh to come from the adventurer. "I can tell something's on your mind." she continued, watching Tataru smile sheepishly. "Please, enlighten me."

Tataru sighed in defeat and nodded. "Okay..." she mumbled. She looked up, seeing that she had your full attention. She took a deep breath and...

"I wanted to ask for your help." she looks directly into the [e/c] eyes that now displayed a sense of curiosity. "It's...it's about..." her shoulders drooped as she tried to get the words out. She seemed a bit more nervous than she was when she was trying to begin the conversation. Whatever it was she had to ask, it could be embarrassing to her, or perhaps she felt bad about having to add to the work [Name] already has to do.

"It's about Alphinaud." She choked out, tearing up. [Name's] eyes widened in surprise and worry, not just because of Tataru's upset expression, but because her heart began to feel heavy. "I've tried so many times to get him to snap out of it..." her lips quivered, tears softly streaming down her cheeks. "But he just won't. He's just not...there." She shoved her face into her cupped hands, muffling her sobs. [Name] bit her lower lip, feeling slightly guilty about the whole ordeal.

"I...I feel that I am partly to blame about this." [Name] began, watching as Tataru peeked through her hands. "I've been trying to shower myself with work as a way to cope," she sighed, shaking her head. "But I was blind. That's not how I should have approached it." she finished, looking down to the floor. Tataru set her hands back on her lap, eyeing [Name] with curiosity. "I want to help him, truly...but," [Name] found herself taking a deep breath, uncrossing her legs. "I'm worried I'll make it worse." she finished.

"Nonsense!" Tataru hopped up, prompting [Name] to look over at her. "Of all the people, I'm sure you can help him!" she nodded her head wildly, causing [Name] to raise a brow. "If anything, it'd be really meaningful if you were to at least  **try** and give him a pep talk!" her eyes sparkled as she threw the suggestion out there, looking at [Name] with a glimmer of hope. "I mean, between you and me..." she sat back down, calming herself. "He wouldn't expect you to stay." she spoke in a soft voice.

[Name] closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then stood up. "You know what, Tataru?" [Name] begins, a wide smile on her face as she raises her left hand up to her chest, closing it into a fist. "You're right! I shouldn't give up before I've tried!" Tataru returns the smile and nods. "Well, I've something to do, so I should get going!" you nod in her direction. "Thank you for conversing with me! I hope we can do it again some time!" you call to her as you take your leave. 

As [Name] left the room, Tataru gave a sigh of relief as she clapped her hands together excitedly . "I am _so_ glad that it worked out! I have a feeling she'll help him get back to his senses." She smiled mischievously as she turned her head towards the door. "Yes, yes she will."


	2. Lifted Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warrior of Light attempts to snap Alphinaud out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, yes, Chapter two! Woohoo?

[Name] walked through Camp Dragonhead, the crunch of snow underneath her boots occurring within every step. She took a deep breath, thinking about what she might say. In all honesty, she didn't quite think about that when she walked out the door with the intention of going straight to Alphinaud. She had always relied on him to do the speaking. Now, it was her turn to do the talking. Her mind raced, heart pounding in her chest as worries began to arise. What if she had messed up? What if she offends him? What if she worsens the situation? The event really took a toll on his confidence, as she was painfully aware of. The last time she had heard his voice was when he had been muttering to himself, seated by the fire, face drowned with sorrow. The memory tugged at her heart as she shook her head, attempting to rid her mind of those thoughts.

* * *

 

She reached the door and extended a hand, grasping the handle firmly, yet hesitated to open it. Thoughts of failure swarmed her mind still, causing her hand to shake. She leaned back slightly, her back tensing up. “ _I can’t back out now_.” she thought to herself. Her mind wandered further to her own experiences, a knot in her stomach forming. “ _I can’t stand by any longer. Besides, I’ve been worrying about him for far too long as well...if anything, waiting longer will only worsen the situation_.” She took one last deep breath, opening the door and stepping inside.

* * *

[Name] turned herself towards the door, shutting it quickly and hoping it won’t make too much of a racket. She looked behind her to see the young elezen seated at the long wooden table, hands clenched tightly into a fist that rested in his lap as his stare seemed to burn a hole into the ground. Her heart sank at the sight of him. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought him to be an imposter.

Here Alphinaud was, following the events of the banquet, sitting quietly, unmoving. He had always been one for talking. In fact, [Name] suspected he couldn’t last a day without uttering a word. Now, she wishes she were right.

He was always concerned with his appearance, yet that worry seemed to have been blown out of the window. His hair, from a distance, appeared to be full of snarls and knots. [Name] shivered at the thought of having to brush it.

Even so, she longed to hear his voice again. She longed to see him smile and nod as he lead conversations and retorted back snarky comments once more. Yet, she knew all too well that wasn’t going to happen until he was back on his feet.

With slow and steady steps, she approached him. The side of his face that wasn’t hidden with his silver hair had been facing away from [Name], so she hadn’t been able to catch a glimpse of his current expression. Several times, she would open her mouth to say something only to find herself speechless.

Now, she stood next to him, peering out the corner of her eye as he gave no sign of noticing her presence. Her shoulders dropped slightly, her heart sinking even further. “ _I’ll probably come off as creepy if he notices me soon_ …” [Name] thinks to herself, sighing internally.

[Name] walks silently to the right of Alphinaud. From that angle, she was able to see his face. She gave him a worried look as she noticed how tired he appeared. His face was so red, a large contrast to his pale skin.

[Name] remained unsure of how to catch his attention. Her gaze wandered over to the table, taking note of the bowls and mugs that seemed like they had been there for at least a week, filled to the brim with foods and beverages. She shifted her attention back to the young man still sitting wordlessly. “ _Has he not been eating?_ ” She began to grow more worried about him, as if she needed more reasons to be.

[Name] shifted back and forth on her heels awkwardly. “ _He’s not going to start the conversation for you, y’know!_ ” she scolded herself in her thoughts. “ _Do something, will you? It’ll be even worse if he does notice you!_ ” she paused, nodding silently.

[Name] took a small step towards him, noticing that he was leaning forward a bit more. With a deep breath, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Alphinaud?” she spoke softly.

* * *

He tensed up at her touch, jolting up and making eye contact, a surprised expression taking over his face. “[N-Name]?” he stutters, his voice cracking slightly. [Name] wasn’t expecting him to react so quickly, so she could only offer him a soft smile and a slight nod.

“We’ve been worried about you.” [Name] adopts a worried tone, unsure of what else to say. He looks away, a large sense of guilt looming in the air. “It’s my fault.” he murmurs, shaking his head slightly. “You’re still going to blame yourself?” she sighed, her grip beginning to tighten. Alphinaud turned back towards [Name], frowning. “Of course I am!” his tone conveyed slight anger, yet all [Name] did was look at him calmly. “Twas I who founded the Crystal Braves! Twas I who was blind to what was going on behind the scenes! Twas I who had the delusions of making a grander Eorzea!” he brought up a hand that grasped [Name’s] tightly, tears beginning to form in his eyes. “If I hadn’t been such an arrogant fool…” he shook his head, continuing his rant. “I wouldn’t have put everyone in danger…” He hung his head in shame, refusing to meet [Name’s] eye. Her gaze softened, giving him a worried smile despite him being unable to see it. “None of us could have predicted what took place.” She shook her head. Alphinaud turned to meet her gaze again, a few tears that he had been trying to hold back escaped. “If I had never formed the Crystal Braves in the first place…!”

* * *

[Name] pat him on the head gently. “They still would have found a way.” she finished. He huffed, a hand reaching up, placing itself upon [Name’s]. “I don’t understand.” He looked away, shoulders drooping. [Name] waits for him to further his thought patiently as she casts a gentle gaze upon him. “I don’t understand why you of all people would be worried about me.” She sighed, then gave him a warm smile. “I’ve told you, I only thought of you as a tool for mine own use…so, why?” He glanced up at her, awaiting an answer.

[Name] couldn’t resist it anymore. She took a step towards him and dragged him into an embrace. He looked at her in surprise, a slight blush slipping onto his face. “I’m fully aware of what you thought of me,” [Name] began, slightly tightening her grip. “Yet, I have found myself time and time again thinking of you, not just as a fellow Scion, but as a dear friend.” She had a feeling her face was reddening from her own comments, but she continued on. “A friend with his own quirks. A friend that, no matter what kind of mistakes he makes, no matter what hardships arise…” [Name] ran her hand through his hair gently, mindful of how messy it had grown to be. “I would always be there to help him.” It was Alphinaud’s turn to tighten the hug. He buried his face into [Name’s] shoulder, muffling his sobs. [Name] pat his back gently, a reassuring smile upon her face. “What did I ever do to deserve a friend so loyal?” he mumbled.

* * *

“Are you feeling better?” [Name] cocked her head to the side curiously at Alphinaud, who gave her a smile. “Yes, and I have you to thank for that.” He nodded, prompting [Name] to smile back. She felt slightly guilty, requiring Tataru’s encouragement to gain the confidence to approach him, yet she had lost it at the sight of his condition.

Fortunately, she had been successful anyway. “I wish I could stay, truly…” she sighed, glancing at the door. “But there’s no doubt that they wish to assign me with more tasks.” Her expression was one of disappointment, he had noted. “Do what you must,” he replied. “‘Twould seem we both have things to do.” He chuckled. She nodded, trudging towards the door, grabbing the handle, before turning back towards Alphinaud.

“I’m glad you’re back.” she smiled, before taking her leave. Alphinaud watched silently, a soft smile on his face as he watched the door close. 

“It’s wonderful to be back.” He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being inspired by a hero can go a long way, but being inspired by a friend is a whole lot more inspiring.  
> ...Does that make sense? No? I figured so.  
> Perhaps the Warrior of Light feels more towards her fellow Scion then she lets on.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! It appears that nobody can say no to an upset Tataru, not even the Warrior of Light!


End file.
